Kolkata: The atmosphere in West Bengal's troubled Nandigram area turned tense once again Saturday after cadres of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) ransacked houses of a rival group and allegedly raped a woman.
According to police, the anti-land acquisition group Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) alleged that CPI-M cadres attacked their homes in Gokulnagar on Friday night, raped a 45-year-old woman and injured 10 BUPC supporters.
"We have received a complaint from the BUPC members saying that a woman in Gokulnagar area was gang-raped by CPI-M cadres last night. No one has been arrested so far," an official of Nandigram police station in East Midnapore said on Saturday.
"CPI-M cadres attacked our supporters in Sonachura and Garchakraberia and injured villagers who had taken active part in the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram last year," BUPC convenor Abdus Samad said.
He said the condition of the woman was serious and she was taken to the SSKM hospital in Kolkata for medical treatment.
"The BUPC members injured in the attack were admitted to Nandigram block hospital," Samad said.
Nandigram erupted in protest in January 2007 over proposed land acquisition for a special economic zone (SEZ). The sporadic violence in the area has left 36 people dead so far.
Though the SEZ proposal has been scrapped, a turf battle between the CPI-M and the BUPC - backed by Trinamul Congress - continues.
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